Sep. 12th, 2011

Ok There where two eps of this on Channel 9 and i set it up to record on my foxtel and then nothing.... I can't even find a listing for it? What happened? Am i going to have to resort to other measures to get this show? So not happy at the moment.

Sep. 6th, 2011

To preface this let me just say that I LOVE Paul McDermott, have since before the days of DAAS, right through the original incarnations of GNW on ABC and Strictly Dancing, a show I didn't think I would enjoy, but Paul and the Commentary team of Lex and Angela made it all worth while, The Sideshow, which I thought was bloody amazing, and of course GNW on Ten.

When I heard that they were going to do a 'do over' of GNW I was a bit worried, and it seems I was right to be.

It just doesn't work and it should, I mean we have Mikey, Claire, and with the new additions of Cal Wilson, Tom Gleeson and Randy and Sammy J it should have been awesome. But it wasn't, Paul looked lost sitting by himself at the desk, the crosses to the 'reporters' fell flat, Tom Gleeson's bit on the shares was mildly amusing. The funniest bits of the show were provided by Randy and Sammy J, who in my opinion stole the show with their skit on carbon credits, and the song, the song was awesome, The Phantom Of The Lodge.

The absolute shockers IMHO were anything with Akmal in it, the man is NOT funny in the slightest, he has no sense of timing and his humour seems to consist on letting his mouth run on and on. I turn the sound down when he is on, and sadly the other shocker was Paul's song, singing about Tony Abbot in his speedos, just NO.

We didn't see enough of Mikey, Claire or Cal.

Paul's talents lie in sparking off others, which is why him sitting at the desk on his own does not work, he needs to have the others around him, especially Mikey, they have worked together for so long that Mikey knows just what to say to get Paul going.

I was sadly sadly underwhelmed, I wanted to like this show so much, but unless it improves with next weeks show, then I guess I'll be switching the channel to watch repeats of Castle or CSI: Miami.

Sep. 2nd, 2011

Hey, apparently this years polyamory mardi gras float was mentioned (negatively) in a debate on same sex marriage, possibly on a morning show? Did anyone catch it or know which show it might be? I think it happened yesterday.

Update: Turns out it was last Tuesday's 7pm project. The crazy-christians are making things up (shock!). We were way too occupied looking for glitter to be lobbying anyone.

Jul. 24th, 2011

hey kids, I am looking for an obscure piece of Lano and Woodley footage from a while ago, they were doing their camping bit and at some point woodley cries "I landed on the zip" I have already looked high and low for this so any help would be grateful.Cheers.

May. 3rd, 2011

May. 2nd, 2011

I managed to inherit ownership of a comm today for the Channel Ten show, Offspring. It doesn't seem like there is very much out there at the moment by way of livejournal activity for this show and I'd really like to see that change.

BUT... I kind of have no idea where to start! If anyone would like to (PLEASE AND THANK YOU) volunteer to help me out, that would be GREAT!

offspring_tv (if you click this you'll see exactly HOW new the comm is! Haha! SEE WHY I NEED YOUR HELP?!)

I can sort out the content, but what I'd really like are some graphics and icons. As well as assistance with promotion. Anyway, at this stage I'll basically take ANYTHING! Thanks again...! Also, if anyone could point me in the direction of any other comms that you know of that cover this show, that would also be great.

Dec. 7th, 2010

End of the line for Mr Squiggle animator

The man behind the legendary Mr Squiggle, Norman Hetherington, has died at the age of 89.

Mr Squiggle was the cheery pencil-nosed puppet who lived on the moon, turned scribbles into masterpieces and had a pet rocket.

On air for more than 40 years, Mr Squiggle was Australia's longest-running children's television series. It featured a marionette who visited his friends -- Grumpy the blackboard, Gus the Snail and Bill the Steam Shovel -- from his home at 93 Crater Crescent on the moon.

Hetherington, who both created the show and operated the puppet, died in the early hours of yesterday morning after a long battle with prostate and bone cancer.

His wife, Peggy -- who wrote scripts for the series -- was "far too upset" to talk with The Australian yesterday. However, former Mr Squiggle producer and long-time family friend Beverley Gledhill said Hetherington had a "magical gift". "Anyone who had anything to do with Mr Squiggle just loved him. It was just fantastic; he became a real person," Gledhill said.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar."So many people have had Mr Squiggle in their lives . . . Norman brought a whole new age of puppeteering to a generation."

First appearing on July 1, 1959, Mr Squiggle would create pictures with his pencil nose from "squiggles" sent in by viewers.

Often Mr Squiggle drew his pictures upside-down. He was always helped by his human female assistant, the most famous of whom was Jane Fennell, known as Miss Jane. His female counterpart would often have to calm the puppet down, with his frequent distractions.

Peggy and Norman's daughter, Rebecca Hetherington, featured as Miss Rebecca in the final years of Mr Squiggle before the last episode was shot on July 9, 1999.

Hetherington began his career as a cartoonist at The Bulletin before appearing in the first television broadcast on the ABC in 1956 with his puppets Nicky and Noodle. He then went on to pen Jolly Gene & His Fun Machine for the Seven Network in 1957 before beginning a lifetime journey with Mr Squiggle.

Hetherington was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1990 "for services to children's programs and puppetry".

Last year he was presented with the coveted Jim Russell Award by the Australian Cartoonists Association for "outstanding contribution to Australian cartooning".

Pat Lovell, who played Miss Pat between 1960 and 1975, said she was "very sad" to hear of Hetherington's passing.

"Norman was an incredibly competent puppeteer; he was one of the best I have ever met," Ms Lovell told The Australian.

"He was the most dedicated man and I think really loved children -- that's why he did it for so long. He can't be replaced -- he is irreplaceable."

Hetherington is survived by his wife, Peggy, children Rebecca and Simon, and several grandchildren.